The Tánaiste is to push for a speedy resolution to Ireland's bank debt at a series of meetings with EU finance leaders today.

Eamon Gilmore will hold one-to-one meetings with the prime ministers of France, Finland and Belgium this afternoon in a bid to push Ireland's case for a better deal on the terms of our bailout programme.

The meetings come ahead of the EU-Latin America Summit in Santiago, Chile tomorrow where the Tánaiste is expected to highlight the importance of an EU-wide solidarity on the issue of solving Ireland's bank debt.

Speaking this morning, Eamon Gilmore said a deal needed to be done very soon.

"The promissory note is due to be paid at the end of March, so that is the deadline within which we have to conclude an agreement with the European Central Bank," he said.

"We have been working over a long period of time to win support for a satisfactory deal on this issue for the Irish taxpayer."